POULTNEY, Vt. - Johnson State suffered a pair of tough one-run North Atlantic Conference (NAC) losses at Green Mountain on Friday by the scores of 7-6 and 14-3. The Badgers now stand at 9-22-1, 3-10-1 NAC while GMC improves to 3-24, 2-12 NAC.
GAME 1: Green Mountain 7, Johnson State 6
In the opener the Eagles trailed 6-5 entering the bottom of the sixth but scored a pair of runs to take back the lead in the back-and-forth affair. Johnson State scored one run in each of the first six innings but was held scoreless in the top of the seventh as the Eagles held on for their first NAC win.
Green Mountain's Kristin Belessis (Augusta, N.J.) went 3-for-3 with three RBI and two runs scored to lead the offensive charge while Cass-Neimeth Lazar (Red Hook, N.Y.) not only went 2-for-4 with two RBI and run but also earned the winning pitching decision. Lazar pitched the complete-game allowing 11 hits, four earned runs, and two walks while striking out three.
Johnson saw senior Morgan Rogerson (Hardwick, Vt./Hazen) (pictured) have a 2-for-4 game with a double and two RBI. Sophomore Emily Himberg (Williston, Vt./Champlain Valley) went 1-for-2 and scored three times while freshman Kristy McDonnell (Quechee, Vt./Hartford) was 2-for-3 with two RBI and double. Junior Meagan Russ (Burlington, Vt./Burlington) took the loss in the circle allowing 11 hits, six earned runs, and five walks while striking out four.
Lazar came up with the key hit in the game when in the sixth inning she singled up the middle with two outs driving in the trying and go-ahead run. Johnson was able to push baserunners to second and third with one out in the top of the seventh with only one out but Lazar was able to induce a pop up and fly out to end the game.
GAME 2: Green Mountain 14, Johnson 13
Game two was a high-scoring affair that saw a combined 29 hits. The Eagles' Chelsea Paul (Northville, N.Y.) had a monster outing going 4-for-5 with a homer, a double, a run, and six RBI to key the victory. Casey McGill (King of Prussia, Penn.) had a 2-for-4 game with double, three runs, and three RBI for GMC while Belessis went 2-for-4 with three runs scored.
The Johnson offense was led by junior Tanya Randall (Fryeburg, Maine/Fryeburg) and her 2-for-4 game with two doubles, four RBI, and two runs. McDonnell's 2-for-4 game including a home run, three runs, and an RBI while Rogerson went 4-for-5 with a double, two runs, and RBI. Himberg capped a nice day at the plate going 3-for-3 with a run and an RBI.
Lazar would relieve Emma Lord (Greenville, N.Y.) after one inning and grind her way to the pitching victory while McDonnell would be relieved by Russ who was tagged with the loss.
Johnson rolled to a 9-0 lead after two 1/2 innings but Green Mountain would respond with two runs in the third and six in the fourth to close the gap to 9-8. The Badgers put up four runs in the sixth to take a 13-8 lead but the Eagles plated three in the sixth make the margin two entering the final inning. The Badgers were held scoreless in the top of the seventh to set up any opportunity for late-game heroics for the Eagles.
A pair of singles opened the inning and set the table for the eventual win. Lord would make the score 13-12 with an RBI single and Belessis would end the game lacing a double that scored two and end the game in walk-off fashion.
Johnson will end their regular-season schedule on Sunday at home against Castleton State College at with a doubleheader at 1:00 pm. Green Mountain's will do the same on Monday at Lyndon State with a set of games starting at 3:30 pm.